Improvement in plaiters for sewing-machines



Z Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. A. KURSHEEDT. PLAITERS Fon SEWING-MACHINES.

Patented Dec. 12, 1876.

TH E GRAPHIC CB14-Y NUnrran STATES afrnw'r @rr-ron FRED A. KRSHEEDT, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

l IMPROVEMENT IN PLAITERS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,182, dated December12, 1876; application filed June 3, 1876.

- et, needle-arm, and presser-foot removed, and Fig. 2 is a sideelevation thereof.

The drawings represent in parts thereof a Wilcox St Gibbssewing-machine, with an ordinary four-motion feed; but I wish itdistinctly understood that although a sewingmachine of some kind, withsome sort of feedmotion forms a part of my combination, yet the specialkind of sewing-machine, and the special kind of feed thereof, isunimportant, as any known kind of sewing-machine and feed apparatus maybe used in combination with my tuck-regulator. In practice I prefer touse a Wheeler 82; Wilson machine, and with such machines am folding andstitching about eight feet of tuck per minute. As sewing-,machines arewell known, and as the precise variety of machine is unimportant, anydescription of the machine shown in the drawings is unnecessary.

rEhe tuck-regulator is shown at a a, and I will proceed, first, todescribe it inits best or preferred form, stating the modificationsafterward. It consists of a blade of sheet metal, beveled so as to forma rounded or non-cutting edge at b b, shaped in plan as shown in thedrawing, and extending from the needlehele at c over the edge of theplatform or table of the machine to d. It is provided with two slots, ee, through which screws pass, and is by means of these screws attachedadjustably to a piece of metal or arm, f, which is by means of a screw,or in any proper way, confined to an upright, g, which extends upwardfrom the bench or table upon which the machine is mounted. This arm orpiece of metal fmay be attached in some cases to the iron platform ofthe machine, if it be a long` one, or to any stationary support, and thetuckregulator may be confined adjustably to it in any proper known way.Iprefer to attach the arm to its support in such manner that it may beswung out from the table of the machine, so as to start the tuck moreeasily, and so that when swung back it may bea-r against a stop, so thatthe edge of the regulator shall be parallel with the line of seam.

On examination of the elevation, Fig. 2, it will be seen that the edgeot'` the regulator rests upon the table or platform, and that theregulator rises up from the table as it extends rearward. Also that itis so attached with reference to the table that when in use, the narrowend of the regulator shall lie about opposite the needle, measuringacross the direction ofthe feed, and that the edge ot' the regulatorshall be parallel with the line of feed, or nearly so, and at a distancein front ofthe line of feed equal to the distance between the line ofstitches and the edge of the tuck.

In using the contrivance I prefer to rule, with ink which will wash out,a piece of cloth, the lines running along the length ofthe fabric, andbeing parallel to the selvage, and each line being in the position whereit is desired to locate the edge of the tuck. This operation may beperformed in a machine like that used for ruling paper. Beforecommencing to tuck the material thus ruled, the regulator is adjusted soas to make the seam at the desired distance from the marked lines, andthe machine is threaded and made ready for operation. The operator thenplaces part ofthe material under the regulator and part over it,

with one of the ruled lines upon the edge of the regulator, and startsthe machine. lhe feed now carries the stuff along, and as it progressesthe operator, with the thumb and fingers applied above and below thatpart of the regulator which extends beyond the table, as at a a', twistsor fells the stuff over the edge, so that the ruled line follows theedge of the regulator. As the stuif is thus fed along, the stitchingmechanism puts a row of stitches in it at a distance from the rule line,which depends upon the adjustment ofthe regulator.

In practice I prefer to make the regulator '2 issues or itssupporting-arm spring'y', so that its edge will bear with a slightpressure upon thetable.

When one row of tueking is finished another may be formed inthe sameway. Ituek a whole piece of goods with parallel rows of tucks, and thencut it transversely into strips, which are sold for trimmings, the ruledlines being previously Washed out and the stui' ironed, and, if desired,starched.

The plan, form, contour, or shape of the less constructed as hereinafterdescribed, be'

long enough to extend over and beyond that side of the platform of themachine over which the goods pass in going to the needle, so that theoperator can feel the ruled line or other mark to the edge of theregulator.

Thev regulator and its supporting-arm may be in one piece, and theadjustment dispensed with, and when in once piece, that part there` ofwhich then takes the place ofthe arm, may be secured to its supportadjustably. When the sewing-machine table is very wide the regulatorneed not extend over the table, but may be bent upward as it recedesfrom the needle in the line of seam, so that it shall rest upon thetable near the needle only, and shall have room between it and the tableat other parts to admit the fingers underneath it; but I prefer theprecise construction Vshown in the drawings. Further, the wholeregulator may bear-upon the part of the goods between it "and the tableinstead of bearing upon such goods at the edge only; but thisconstruction is an inferior one. Y

I claim as of my own inventionl. The combination, with a feed, such asis usual in a sewin g-maehine, of a tuck-regulator,

having its edge4 extending over and beyond the side of the. platform, orbent upward, substantially as described, whereby the material may befelt by the lingers to the edge ofthe regulator, the two being combined,and capable of operating, substantially as described.

-2. A tuck-regulator, having its edge extending over and beyond the sideof the platform, or bent upward, substantially as described, whereby thematerial may be felt by the fingers to its edge, in combination with thefeed and stitching mechanism, making part of a sewing-machine, wherebytucks may be stitched upon fabrics substantially in the mannerspecified, the combination being substantially such as herein set forth.

FRED A. KURSHEEDT.

In presence of- Tnos. MILLER, Rom. A. OLIREHUGH.

